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“We want to work with the Government to ensure that schools are given the support they need over the immediate term, and this includes urgently placing a temporary pause on academy conversions during this time.

The next government needs to invest in children’s services so councils can fulfil the ambitions of the Children’s Act, the Local Government Association says as it marks the 30th anniversary of the landmark legislation. The 1989 Act puts children at the centre of any decisions made that affects them, with councils given the role of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. In the same year the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child set out the rights a child is entitled to and how adults and governments must work together to make that happen.  At the National Children and

With 90 children entering the care system every single day last year, the LGA is calling on the Government to use the upcoming Local Government Finance Settlement to resolve the £2billion funding gap that is facing children’s services by 2020.

"We’ve reached a tipping point where this service can no longer be ignored. It is absolutely crucial that the forthcoming Local Government Finance Settlement addresses this funding gap."

Families face the prospect of seeing more children’s centres close in their community after figures analysed by the Local Government Association showed councils have been forced to cut their spending on the service by nearly a quarter in four years.

Severe funding shortages for social services that protect vulnerable children have pushed nearly nine in 10 councils into the red, new LGA analysis relveals.

Councils are in a unique position of being able to make the real and effective change needed locally that will ultimately help to solve some of the biggest problems the nation is facing and changing the lives of their communities. 

Growing demand for support has lead to 75 per cent of councils in England overspending on their children’s services budgets by more than half a billion pounds.

“We are pleased that the Government has listened to our call to extend the food voucher scheme to cover the Easter holidays."

"Today’s decision provides much needed clarity for head teachers, parents and families."